A review by tyches_dice
The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

It’s a hard sell to give me a book and go “this woman is in the 1% and is entirely prepared to throw her name and money around in a kinda entitled way” but nonetheless, I liked it. It’s a murder mystery In Space - it’s amazing that I read it at all given my deeply ingrained distrust of space and general lack of interest in mysteries but I’m glad I did. On page one Kowal got the difference between centripetal and centrifugal force correct, which I think is just there to let nerds like me know we’re safe 😂. 

Things I also like about the book:
1) The gender politics - people default to a gender neutral term until pronouns are revealed (do I wish more major characters used something other than he/him or she/her? Yes, but I do appreciate the attempt)
2) Tesla’s chronic pain/disability and the trauma she went through are treated seriously and compassionately - and we are supposed to hate characters who don’t treat it that way. I’d call the ableism in the book relatively minor in that regard. 
3) Tesla being gently called out when her 1% starts to come out, and her trying to keep her privilege in check. 
4) Fantine and Gimlet

A couple things I liked a little less:
1) I thought the mystery was pretty easy to solve - I had a suspicion almost immediately and was sure by halfway through the book. This is a YMMV situation though, I’m very good at deducing the culprit in a mystery, and don’t mind figuring it out if the narrative is compelling. 
2) The alcohol - a cocktail recipe every chapter? The drinking literally all the time? With Tesla’s history?! There are definitely people in my life I could never recommend this book to. 
3) Tesla IS a little annoying. 
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